


Perihelion

by oopsgingermoment



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Fertility Festival, Mamaloy, Papavad, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Semi-Public Sex, horny parents, my baby Lissie makes an appearance, spoilers for The Sun and Moon, straight up smut, why work when one can bang their hot wife
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:27:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23955319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oopsgingermoment/pseuds/oopsgingermoment
Summary: With the return of spring, the Sundom is preparing to celebrate the end winter and welcome the return of the Sun's warmth. Meridian's new queen, Aloy, still has much to learn, but one custom in particular raises some questions. Sun-King Avad has some explaining to do.
Relationships: Aloy & Avad (Horizon: Zero Dawn), Aloy/Avad (Horizon: Zero Dawn)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 70





	1. Atonement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! It's been a while since [The Sun and Moon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13996956/chapters/32230527), eh? If you haven't read it yet, this ficlet will detail major (albeit obvious) spoilers for it, but it's not a requirement.  
> So, Perihelion came about due to a very... interesting subject of discussion on a certain Discord server for Horizon: Zero Dawn. There was no method to the madness. Meridian was brought up, then festivals, and then I started bringing up Roman fertility statues, and then it all went to shit. DO NOT take this fic too seriously. It's smut with crack hidden in the pages. That also includes the timeline. The Sun's perihelion to the earth is at the beginning of January, but this fic takes place in mid-spring like many fertility festivals (plus I didn't even think about this when writing TSAM so I had no other way of explaining why we didn't see any mention of it in later chapters). Again, don't take this too seriously. It's just an excuse to write more Alvad porn. That's it.  
> With that said, please enjoy. :)  
> P.S. If you would like to listen to the playlist inspired by this nonsensical story, [ click here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3YxZZMorB2uX03tPwPw8n7?si=P7V6ncSmScCeo938i7Lb-g) for a listen.

Aloy would be the last person to deny that despite being married to the Sun-King for almost a year now—and his lover another year before that—she still had much to learn about her new city. The babe at her breast was without knowledge, unknowing in the ways of her father’s people. Carja princess or not, Elisabet was also Nora. Her mother would ensure it stayed that way. Balance. Compromise. A shared purpose. Something both king and queen have been struggling for from the beginning.

“Your Celestial Highness, the Sun-Priests wish for you to look over the roster for the festival next week. It is imperative that you know the duties asked of you for the rituals.” Liana’s voice pulled Aloy from her thoughts. Tearing hazel eyes away from her nursing baby, she looked at the glyphs presented to her. Positions of the sun and the moon were essential to Carja religion, but Aloy learned exactly how much during the aphelion of the sun and earth: the dawn of winter. She could remember the prayers and hymns, asking for the sun’s speedy return and renewed warmth. This holiday was a celebration of a fulfilled promise.

“What’s Avad’s role in all this?” the queen asked curiously, picking up the sheet for study. It was not unusual for her to address the Sun-King in such a casual matter regardless of with whom she was conversing with.

Liana shuffled her feet awkwardly. Then she cleared her throat. “W-well,” she started, “His Radiance  _ is _ the Sun-King….”

“I am aware.”

“And he is the representative of the Sun itself….”

“Obviously.”

“This is a crucial time for the Carja, and so we pray for the fertility of our crops a-and mothers and… and the-”

“Just spit it out, Liana.”

“And the Sun-King’s fertility.”

“Okay, so—wait,  _ what _ ?”

Aloy’s personal body servant blushed a bright red. Briefly, despite the absurdity of it, she wondered if Princess Elisabet’s ears needed to be covered. “We Carja are not negligent. We pray during all seasons, but this is when we are closest to the Sun. We feel It the strongest. It is only logical that… hmm… I don’t know how to explain it…. The Sun-King’s fertility is just as important as the Sun itself. We know we’re blessed if he is, if you understand me.”

Aloy tried to process the new information as she carefully wiped Lissie’s chin with a kerchief, readjusting herself so that she was covered again. The baby garbled briefly. “So… what does that  _ mean _ exactly? Does he perform a ritual? A ceremony?”

“Naturally, but the markets are also packed with wares for the festivals. Most of the wares are used for rituals in the home, fertility spells and potions, and… um….” Liana turned impossibly pinker, but she knew the sooner she told her mistress the sooner the embarrassment would be over. “There’s one item of  _ particular _ value, however. It’s especially popular with young women, married or not. See, the Sun-King is the Carja’s ultimate symbol of male virility. No one knows when it started becoming popular, but they’re… statues. Of the Sun-King… with…. Sun and shadow, don’t make me say it, my lady.”

A tick in Aloy’s jaw told Liana that her mistress was not pleased. “With what, Liana?” the queen demanded.

“ _ Withahardenedphallus _ ,” Liana squeaked.

“Slower.”

“With a hardened phallus.”

The phrase made Aloy’s jaw tick, and she slowly set down Lissie into her crib. Liana knew this would upset her queen, and she couldn’t half blame her. Not many women had to deal with the realization that her husband’s subjects would cram themselves so that they might get their hands on such an obscene figure. Past consorts had dealt with it of course, but Aloy did not grow up in the Sundom. Such occurrences were foreign to her. Distasteful. Vile.

“Liana, please watch Lissie for me. I need to have a word with my husband,” Aloy ordered, stalking out of the vast chambers she often spent her mornings in. The guards at the doors immediately stood at attention as she emerged, glancing nervously at each other. Her Celestial Highness was not known for keeping her mouth shut on matters that garnered her disapproval. “Where is he?” she demanded of the two guards.

“I-I believe His Luminance is having a meeting in the-”

“Council chamber,” she guessed, his curt nod triggering her to continue down the hallway. Aloy’s stomps were familiar to the ears of the palace, and she could find her way blindfolded. The sandstone, painted and decorated with silk decor, was familiar territory. She arrived within minutes. She did not appreciate being stopped by the soldiers at the door.

“Forgive me, madam, but His Radiance is-”

“In a meeting. I’m aware. I need to see him anyway.”

Avad may be Sun-King, but his wife was anything but demure, practically terrifying the entire royal guard into submission without lifting a finger. “Let me inform him, then,” the guard hastily replied, stumbling into the meeting hall. Aloy’s solid arms folded across her chest, toes itching to tap impatiently on the floor as she waited. No more than a minute later and the guard was escorting a group of grumbling noblemen out. Without needing prompting, Aloy enters the council chamber unaccompanied, her golden necklace faintly reflecting sunlight against the walls. A faint blue light filtered from her silver focus.

Her husband, Sun-King Avad, does not appear apprehensive or worried, only expectant as the chamber doors shut once again. He knows his wife like the back of his hand, and he can suspect one thing to prompt her to interrupt his work without warning. It was best to address the issue now than to avoid it. He'd be a fool to avoid any topic with her. “Aloy,” he greets simply. His queen walks with natural grace and purpose, and even when she’s riled up she is without a doubt the most magnificent creature he has ever laid eyes on. He should, however, refrain from saying such things at this moment in time.

“I get that recounting Carja holidays is a lot of information to go over in a single meeting with the high-priest, but the least  _ you _ could have done was tell me about Meridian’s most popular fertility ware,” Aloy snapped. “And frankly, I would have been less bothered by it if  _ you _ had told me instead of Liana.”

Avad visibly flinched. “It’s not exactly something I enjoy discussing at all. I wanted to get rid of the practice but the Sun-Priests overruled me. The tradition is almost old as the markets themselves.”

“You still should have told me,” Aloy punctuated sternly. Avad breathed heavily, studying his wife. Despite her blazing in here like a mad machine, it wasn’t anger he saw in her eyes. His face softened and he slowly walked toward her.

“I am sorry, my love,” he mumbled, voice thick and gravelly. “You’re right, I should have told you. But it’s so  _ embarrassing _ .”

Only after a long, pregnant pause did Aloy burst into a fit of giggles. “Where were we last year when all this was happening?” she asked with a snort. Avad rolled his eyes and pulled her close to him, pressing warm lips to the shell of her ear.

“I was keeping up with tradition by fucking my future wife in a forest hundreds of miles away, unknowing that she were already carrying my child.” Aloy’s hands curled around Avad’s, feeling the way his fingers brushed softly against her skin. Thinking back, she could remember their spring in the Embrace, and they had certainly been busy. She didn’t bother hiding her grin when she kissed his hands.

“I don’t like sharing you with anyone.”

Avad chuckled, running his thumbs over her rough palms. “Sweetheart, the Sun-King may belong to the people, but  _ I _ belong to you.” Aloy shook her head.

“Even the Sun-King is mine,” she insisted, lunging forward to kiss him on the lips. Avad grunted lightly, moving to cup the back of Aloy’s neck with one of his hands.

“Yes,” he whispered, tasting the seam of her mouth with the tip of his tongue. How could he forget what she’d sacrificed to marry him? “Aloy….” Avad moaned softly against her body, feeling her hands already moving to strip him of his regalia and clothing. “Sweetheart, the door.”

“Let them see, if their impatience impedes on their personal feelings so much.” Aloy’s teeth tugged on his lower lip as she reached down to stroke his length through his silk trousers. Avad’s breath hitched in her mouth. He was her prisoner now, contained by the grip she held on him. His clothing felt much too heavy now as he swiftly deprived Aloy of hers. Her skin was like silk; he wanted to devour her. Their kisses grew incessant. Starving. They’d made love just last night, several times, but it felt like every time was better than the last. More. Avad grunted when Aloy’s hand squeezed his hardening cock.

Aloy had pulled down his trousers to his knees, her naked body resplendent in the sunlight. Avad watched his wife sink to her own knees, flicking her tongue over the tip of his cock. Avad grunted. Her mouth was warm, pulling the head in and sucking. Her head bobbed back and forth, pulling more of him in her mouth. Aloy hummed softly, dragging her tongue up the underside of his length and pumping him with her hands. Avad moaned thickly, gripping the table behind him to steady himself. “Fuck, Aloy,” he gasped. Her gorgeous lips wrapped around him again. There was purpose glinting in her eyes. Avad knew that purpose. The queen of Meridian was reclaiming what rightfully belonged to hers. It made Avad want nothing more than to remain in her bed for days on end, filling her and fucking her whenever she wanted.

Teeth nipped at his hip bone before tongue caressed his balls. Avad groaned louder. Aloy was a master torturer, pulling him in her mouth and sucking before releasing him only to repeat again and again. “I’m going to cum,” Avad warned shakily as soon as he felt the heat pool in his belly. It was only then that Aloy released him, rising to her feet and hopping on the table. Avad cursed at the lack of relief. Meanwhile, Aloy’s legs spread expectantly, and it took Avad no time to rid himself of his leftover clothing. Aloy was impatient, teasing her clit with her fingers. Avad stalled, transfixed. Aloy smirked and leaned on her back. She loved tormenting him like this, making him watch her lithe fingers dip inside her cunt. Her moans were breathy, whispering his name like a Carja prayer. Her fingers felt good, but she knew what could make this feel better.

“Make yourself useful,” she crooned, pulling her wet fingers out only to brush them over her slit. Avad licked his lips and rested his hands on her knees, gliding them south to her apex. The Sun had blessed him with a goddess of a woman. The Perihelion Festival hadn’t even started yet and he was already frothing at the mouth like a wild beast.

“You’re a terrible tease,” Avad complained, stooping over to nip at her belly. Aloy shivered shakily. Her fingers had not left her heat, brushing in a way to tantalize her husband into doing what she wanted. Those Carja girls could have their little statues for all she cared. She had the real thing: his hot mouth, his big hands, his long and thick cock. When those hands pulled her hand away, she merely giggled. Avad grinned back, staring into her eyes as he slowly trailed the tip of his nose from her knee all the way down to her sweet paradise.

It was his turn to tease, brushing his nose against her clit as his teeth delicately nipped at her vaginal lips. His tongue stroked the seam of her, making her buck against his face. Avad growled and dipped his tongue inside, tasting the nectar that was slowly pooling out of her. He growled, patience thrown out the window. He sucked and licked rapidly, wet noises emitting from his mouth making Aloy keen. Her legs fought with his hands, her own gripping on the edge of the table. Her grin was wicked. If only those Carja girls knew what it was like to have the Sun-King himself engorge himself on her body. Aloy didn’t bother pinpointing where her primal jealousy was coming from, but it didn’t matter because  _ sweet gods _ his fingers were inside her.

Those divine fingers loved to torment, starting only with one. But the master knew his woman. One was not enough. Two was better. But he liked to make it three, lap at the juices her body kept gifting him. Her own fingers were in his hair now, pulling him as close against her cunt as their bodies could allow. Avad’s fingers crooked, requiring little time to find the little spot on her wall that could make her cum. His knees ached from kneeling on the stone floor, but Aloy was searing and soaked. Avad repeated the motion several times, pulling at her labia with his lips just as she screamed. She flooded his greedy mouth, and he accepted every sweet drop he could claim. He was slow in the aftermath, pulling out his fingers and planting a final kiss on her before finally removing himself from heaven.

Aloy groaned softly, eyes hooded as she watched him suck his fingers. Without a word, Avad reached up and rolled her breasts with his hands. The gentle massage made her weak, and as his right hand started heading south again, she bit her lip. “Avad,” she whispered. He still said nothing; instead he was running his hand over her belly, brushing his knuckles over the thatch of her red curls, and resumed ministrations to her clit.

“I was in the middle of a meeting. One _you_ rudely interrupted,” he reminded her huskily, pretending to not hear her complaining whine. His lustful eyes merely gazed upon cunt. He caressed the clit and teased her opening with his fingertips.

“You should probably get back to it,” Aloy whispered back, praying silently that he wouldn’t. He was still hard. So exceptionally, deliciously hard.

Avad stared contemplatively. His fingers continued to tease her. The bastard knew what he was doing. Punishing her for something so silly and yet getting her off before even considering his own needs. Gods, she wanted him so badly. “Hmm,” the Sun-King purred, pulling his hands away. “It would be such a shame if I left you like this, my queen. So pretty, so _ wet _ .”

Aloy whined at the forcefulness of that final word, but she needn’t worry about pushing her case. Avad pressed the head of his cock against her, pushing in slowly until he fully sheathed himself. His hands held her hips, rolling his own into torturous circular motions. He breathed heavily with each thrust, snapping his hips against her with increasing speed. “Yes,” she gasped, resting her hands on top of his. She pushed her feet against the table, craving whatever they could to bring him deeper inside her. She needed this; needed  _ him _ . She needed to feel the inexplicably perfect way he filled her as if he was made for her. Avad's face twisted with concentration as if he was performing an essential task, as if their shared pleasure was what the world needed to turn.

“I need you to cum,” Aloy begged.

“I’m… gonna…” Avad sputtered, feeling it in his gut again. He didn’t bother holding back the feeling like he often did. With a final thrust of his hips and a shuddering groan, he felt himself spill into her. The Sun-King pumped his pelvis against hers in long strokes, finishing his spend for but another moment before finally stalling. Broad shoulders heaved from his labor, his hands stroking over her skin. Aloy shuddered when he pulled out, glad for the kerchief she’s decided to start carrying around after enough of these impromptu sessions with him.

“Mm, so much better with the real thing,” she hummed cheerfully, stroking her husband’s hair. Avad coughed a laugh.

“All that was about those cursed statues, then?”

Aloy shook her head. “Not all of it, no, but I’ll be damned if I let a bunch of strangers buying fertility statues get under my skin.”

Avad cleaned up best he could, wiping himself and Aloy of with a cloth of his own. He mourned not being able to worship his wife more, but he had a meeting to finish and time had flown well past them, so he did instead helped with her fastenings and ties, kissing her soft lips reverently as she began to pull away. “Tonight, I’ll tell you all you need to know,” he promised.

“Damn right you will,” Aloy agreed, pulling open the door and slipping through. Avad eyed the noblemen who’d been stuck waiting for him, resisting a sheepish grin that threatened to grace his face. Instead he motioned the men inside, doing his best not to eyeball the spot he and Aloy had just been lying at. Bright red hair draped like a halo around her head; her delightful body his to worship. The season was ripe with the lustful hunger of a sun-god and his celestial goddess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
> Thank you Sam for the doodle. I still laugh every time I see it and it's been nearly a month since I first saw it. But curse you, Cait, and Jess for bringing up this topic in the first place. *wheeze*  
> I told y'all not to take this too seriously. Do the Carja have a fertility festival? Totally. Does it include the Sun-King having to perform some sort of sex ritual? Probably not. But we're doing it anyway. Someone's gotta write the Alvad porn so it might as well be me.  
> The ritual chapter will be posted tomorrow with the final chapter on Sunday. Have a blessed Bealtaine, everybody. <3


	2. Gods and Men

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back everyone! It’s on with chapter two. The fateful festival is upon us, and Avad would much rather be home drawing or reading. Poor boy. *pat pat* He’ll forget about the more uncomfortable bits of being Sun-King soon enough. Thank you Aloy for taking care of him.  
> I did a little experimentation with this smut scene. I'm not sure how well it works, but it's something I figured was worth trying. Plus Aloy and Avad are horny 24/7 so I gotta keep things interesting for them. lol  
> Anyways, please enjoy!

For all their superstitions and rituals, Aloy could thank the Carja’s festivals for several things: the beautiful clothing her inner woman couldn’t help but adore, the delicious sweets that caused her stomach growl, and the way her husband craved their copulating more avidly. It was like someone had put a vitality potion in his wine during the holidays. This time was no different, and it wasn’t simply because of the ritual she would be performing with him. Maybe it was the fact that she would be leaving for the west soon, once Lissie was weaned. Or maybe it was simply because her husband was feeling particularly lusty lately.

The streets of Meridian were decorated for the festival. Aloy could see it from the balcony of Avad’s throne. Little oil lamps of countless colors lined whatever any wall and railing; ribbons and banners of gold, purple, blue and red stretching from the palace all the way to the maizelands. Aloy hadn’t seen such a sight since the wedding. Not even for the aphelion festival. Dawn would arrive and people would begin to flood every available space in the city, bartering for all of the goods laid out to honor the Sun and bless themselves or their families. Aloy fought a giggle. Neither her nor Avad needed the Sun’s blessing in that department. Their daughter was proof of that.

“Aloy? They’re ready for you.” Nakoa’s voice broke the early morning silence. The redhead sighed lightly and nodded, following her friend to the queen’s chambers.

It felt like her wedding day all over again. Fine clothing was laid out on the large bed, a gaggle of women sitting together preparing crimson red paint, and a hot bath to cleanse the queen’s body. The water was hot, but Aloy barely noticed as she ducked her head underwater. She slicked back her red hair, pulling at the ends absentmindedly. The previous few nights had consisted entirely of Avad delving in detail what he and she must do for the festival. Most of it was easy, and she wouldn’t have to iterate any speeches. It was what they had to do once it was midday.

Aloy shivered as she stepped out of the bath and covered herself in a fluffy towel. It was hardly the first time she and Avad ignored common decency to make love on the Solarium, but knowing that the entire city knew what would ensue.... It was a bit much. Avad’s cheeks flushed pink every time a nobleman or priest brought it up. It was his first time doing this too, having left tradition on the wayside and refusing to participate in the ritual with a concubine. At least they would endure this lack of privacy together, and that thought alone was what allowed her to emerge from the queen’s bathhouse to be painted.

It was a lesson in vulnerability, certainly, to have strangers paint the sacred lines along her body. Her hands, feet, arms, legs, and belly were painted in red with fine lines and the emblem of the Sun. The patterns on her limbs were familiar. She saw them on Avad’s regalia every day. Aloy hoped he felt just as uncomfortable about this as he did, and she could help but imagine her poor husband squirming under the cold red paint. It took a while for the paint to dry, even with fans, but when it was finally done, Aloy slipped into her clothing for the day.

The fabric of the white gown was quite translucent, even with the gold embroidery, which made Aloy grateful for the silken red rope that wrapped around her. Her hair was braided with wildflowers tucked into the plait, and a single golden necklace draped around her neck. The ring which Avad gave her adorned her finger, silver marriage rings adorning her toes. She didn’t feel quite so burdened in this attire as her wedding wardrobe, but it was no less in detail or significance. She was fully dressed for her station today, a sight rarely seen by anyone in the Sundom.

A fussy Elisabet was fed before Aloy left her chambers, finding Avad waiting for her by the entrance of the Palace of the Sun. His own clothing was far simpler than his usual regalia, a robe draped over him with feet bare, silken pants covering all but a sliver of his own ceremonial art. His good-natured smile made the skin around his eyes crinkle in the way that Aloy loved as he claimed her hands in his own. “My love,” he whispered affectionately. His molten voice still made her heart sputter in her chest.

“You ready?”

“As one can be.”

The ceremonies were all in a blur, really. Aloy listened to the priests sing their hymns, she drank from a goblet of crisp water, and she helped Avad light the bonfire that stood at the temple’s terrace. There was dancing and peddling, and women reached to touch the Sun-King in the hopes that contact with him would bless their wombs. It made Aloy’s stomach turn and as the hours progressed, his smiles souring into grimaces. Avad wanted to get rid of all this, but how did one make an entire tribe stop believing in their king’s divinity? It was far easier to convince the nobility than the common man, much less the priesthood. More teeth required pulling.

With thirty minutes to spare until noon, the royal party made its way back to the palace, where the king and queen could find some much-needed respite before the ritual. Avad immediately took that to mean coddling his daughter and complaining that he couldn’t just spend a holiday with his family for once instead of overseeing it. Aloy ruffled his hair teasingly at the notion. “We could always run away to the Embrace again,” she reminded him, grinning wickedly. Avad’s returned it with equal yet uncharacteristic wickedness.

“That sounds perfect,” he murmured.

“Ahem.” Marad wandered in and cleared his throat. “Forgive me; Your Radiance, Your Highness. It’s almost time for the ritual if you would like to….”

Avad flushed but wordlessly handed his daughter back over to Liana. “Very well,” he sighed, taking Aloy’s hand. She squeezed it reassuringly. Despite the discomfort of the entire Sundom’s expectations, she wouldn’t shy away from the impending pleasure that stemmed from that duty. They would be each other’s altars of worship as well as the prayers and the offerings. That thought alone made her skin practically tingle with anticipation.

Priests were singing again—a hymn Aloy had never heard before—as High Sun-Priest Ramessum blessed her and Avad. Queen of Meridian or not, she was getting impatient with all the ceremony that circled around a married couple having sex. If they wanted it so badly, she’d give it to them, but she would take her dear sweet time doing it. It would be a crime to leave her husband wanting. She needed to have him beneath her, trembling between her thighs as she—

A burst of drums yanked Aloy out of her mind; Avad was leading her toward the Solarium. Cheering grew louder in the streets. She took a shaky breath and caught up with the king, barely acknowledging the gates of the Solarium's entrance shutting behind them. Somehow, the lack of privacy was different now than the numerous times she and Avad made love here. Perhaps it was because an entire city knew what was about to transpire or the fact that there was a crowd of priests and noblemen who would try to sneak a peak despite the guards at the gates.

“Breathe, Aloy.”

Avad’s voice anchored her. “I’m okay,” Aloy whispered shakily.

“So am I,” he replied smoothly, his weak grin telling her he knew she was anything but all right. Still, when he pressed his lips to her forehead, it made her feel a little bit better.

The Solarium looked almost as it usually did were it not for the white canopy that draped from the dome to the west and the plush pillows that cushioned the sandstone floor. Avad silently led his wife to the dome, pushing aside one of the curtains to let her through first. At least they were hidden behind the screens, away from prying eyes and shielded from the blazing sun. He’d never asked who was involved with decorating the palace for festivals, but whoever it was, he’d have to thank them for this small mercy later.

Aloy moved first, tactfully opening Avad’s robe and pulling the clothing from his shoulders. Her eyes studied his body as she circled around him. The ceremonial paint on his arms and legs were identical to hers, feet painted in a similar fashion, and the sigil of the Sun adorning his back. While simple in its execution, the art made her husband particularly breathtaking on this day. She was eager to remove his pants and feel his skin against hers again. “Your turn,” she hummed cheerfully once they faced each other again.

Avad chuckled and shook his head but did as he was told, pulling at the silken ties and divesting Aloy of her robe. The red paint on her limbs was a stark contrast against her milky skin. Her gown did little to hide what lay beneath, but that did not take away from the fact that he needed to see  _ her _ . Long fingers skimmed over her waist and hips, noting the design of the Sun’s sigil painstakingly painted on her belly to bless her womb. The Sun-King smirked to himself. History already proved that neither of them required blessing. “I want you,” he decided in a whisper, circling her in his arms to claim her mouth.

“I know,” Aloy sighed back, wrapping her arms around his waist. They chose to forget why they were there. They would simply be. Avad caressed his resplendent queen, hasty in his quest to remove her gown. Aloy was doing little more to resist. This dance was familiar; comforting and agonizing all at once. She barely noticed the clothing pooled at their feet, merely hiccuping as Avad hoisted her up and wrapping her legs around his waist. He pinned her to one of the pillars, the canopy surrounding them a whisper on Aloy’s back.

Whatever their duties, all Aloy could think of was the warmth of her husband’s body against hers. She brushed her fingers through his hair, lacing a crown in the curls. The tip of Avad’s tongue breached into her mouth, stroking hers as he slowly slid them both down to the pillows. His hands spanned over her shoulder blades, caressing her spine with reverent fingertips. Avad trailed kisses over Aloy’s jaw, nibbling on the shell of her ear, groaning shakily as her hips began to slowly rock against his. He hissed under his breath, bucking involuntarily. “Feel so good,” he slurred like a drunk, moving his mouth to a soft breast, tugging on a pink nipple with his teeth. Aloy giggled with mirth at his enthusiasm. She rolled her hips slowly but hard, feeling Avad’s cock stiffen under her ministrations. Her lips pressed to his forehead, her body roiling to every touch and kiss.

They became more frantic, hands grasping at pliant flesh as mouths kissed and suckled hungrily. Aloy whined as Avad drew circles on her clit. He played her like an instrument, knowing exactly how to make her sing. Aloy couldn’t decide where to place her hands. On his chest? His neck? His hair? It was hard when she wanted to feel every line and plane. She pushed him down onto the pillows and pressed kisses down his torso, hearing his breath sputter as she ventured south. Oh no, he wasn’t going to have it that easy. He had his way with her last time. It was time to turn the tables.

Aloy traced the lines along Avad’s thigh with her nose and pressed a kiss on the knee, pressing his legs open with firm hands. Her nails dragged along the lean muscle, moving up more and more before pulling back. Avad had long ago learned that begging rarely got him anywhere despite his efforts; he merely groaned and allowed himself to feel every little tease his wife had in store for him. His hand gripped the base of his member and jerked himself a pair of strokes. “ _ Aloy _ ,” he slurred. His queen merely smirked at him and straightened, offering him a view of her gorgeous body. His other hand smoothed over her painted belly, smearing it slightly with his palm.

Suddenly the ritual made sense to him. Avad was doubtful that the intention was for the Sun-King to worship the woman he was to make love to as he so desperately wished, but his sense of duty shifted in an instant. This woman, and every woman before her, bore the ability to create new life. Aloy had labored for hours, screaming and cursing his very name as she birthed their daughter. She had suffered and bled for a child they created, and Sun knows he would never have been able to do the same. This festival was the promise of a new dawn. His role paled in comparison to Aloy’s.

“Aloy,” he whispered again, reverent and weak. Her face softened when his hand rested on her cheek. Her hand covered his own.

“I’m here, my sun,” she murmured, kissing him. “What do you need?”

“Everything. You. Sweetheart, I-”

Aloy sealed their lips together again. “Feel me, Avad. Feel us,” she requested against his skin. Her fingers stroked his hair, hips gently rolling over him again. Avad’s own hands slid over her arms, lunging up for kiss after kiss. Aloy returned each of them gleefully. They could do this for as long as they needed to, slowly building up the desire they felt for one another as the sun began to steer west, but Aloy was not a patient woman, and so she took his hand and led it to where she needed him. Avad hummed as they kissed again, rubbing her clit firmly just the way she liked it. Her mewls stoked his male pride, and he eagerly bucked his hips against her again.

“Ah!” Aloy squeaked. Avad had flipped them over, continuously thumbing her clit while he traveled, pressing kisses down her body. He paused at her stomach, kissing tenderly where the Sun’s emblem had been painted, marking each stroke with his mouth until he was satisfied before reaching the end of his journey. Aloy had no time to recover before his mouth was on her slit, hot tongue dragging up the length before pressing in. “Oh,  _ yes _ ,” she gasped, hands tangling in Avad’s hair again. His deep chuckle made her shiver as it vibrated against her skin. His lips sucked on the pliable flesh of her labia, tongue circling on her swollen clit before diving inside her again. His left hand held her leg to the side, the other hand driving two fingers deep inside her cunt. They curled; Aloy nearly screamed. Without a doubt the Sun-Court could hear her now.

Avad groaned as he humped against the pillow beneath him. He needed Aloy to cum. He needed to taste her. He wanted to be inside her again. “Where do you need it?” he asked, almost begging. His fingers curled again. Aloy yelped.

“There,” she whined. Avad was all too happy to obliged, crooking his fingers in fluid rotation, using his nails to scratch at her sensitive walls. Aloy’s cries reverberated across the mesa, trying to grasp on something— _ anything _ —to anchor her. She was teetering on the edge, and she fought with herself whether to let him finish with her or to clamber on top of him again. The huntress could see her husband struggling with his own control, his hips still pressing to a pillow to alleviate his lust. “Keep doing that and we won’t have time to get you inside me,” she reminded him breathlessly, massaging the back of his neck. Avad groaned but subsided his motion, diverting all his attention back to his hands and mouth.

“ _Then cum already,_ ” Avad demanded before nipping her clit.

That did it.

Aloy wailed loudly, barely registering Avad snarfing up her juices. She was as languid as water. Lips parted as a contented sigh escaped them. Avad pressed kisses back up her body, his chin wet from her release. Aloy cared little as she finally received a kiss on her lips. She reached to stroke his cock, massaging the length with practiced hands. “Where do you want me?” she inquired. Lazily, she brushed the head against her clit. Avad’s breath sputtered.

“Closer.” Avad pulled her up and settled her into his lap. He rubbed her belly and massaged her rear as he kissed her collarbone. Aloy pressed her nose against his neck and inhaled his scent, addled somewhat by the sweat on his skin. As if sharing one mind, Aloy rose on her knees as Avad grasped the base of his cock, and she slowly slid down onto his length. They groaned at the reunion. Aloy rose up and down steadily, hands on her lover’s shoulders to support herself while Avad kept a strong grip on her hips. She needed no guidance from him, but he feared letting her go. Avad leaned against a pillar, admiring how his queen’s muscles flexed with her movements. By the Sun, she was so beautiful.

“You’re going to make me do all the work this time, huh?” Aloy teased, tweaking his nipple with his fingers. Avad jolted but laughed at her comment.

“Forgive me, Your Celestial Highness. How might I serve you?” he jested back.

Aloy smirked and stole a kiss. “Touch me. I know you want to.”

“Anywhere I like?”

Snorting, Aloy stated, “You’re the Sun-King, aren’t you?”

Avad was struggling to think with the way Aloy would circle her hips every time she sunk back down on him. “Just keep doing that and I’ll do whatever you want,” he promised.

Loving hands skimmed over her limbs, back, and neck. A gentle mouth kissed and suckled against pale skin. Avad took his time, trying to hold back his release to make this last if it meant touching her for longer. His gaze glided down and watched their joining. He was a weak man, the erotic sight alone making his belly feel warm. Avad began to tease her clit again. Aloy whined and pressed herself tighter against him. “Want more,” she slurred. Her arms wrapped around his neck.

“Greedy huntress,” Avad hummed, kissing her ear. He had an idea; something he hadn’t considered before. “Just stop for a moment, sweetheart. Let me….”

Aloy grumbled but complied, impatient to see what he would do. Avad’s fingers shifted, pressing one into her where they joined. “ _ Fuck _ ,” Aloy gasped. She bucked her hips eagerly. She was a little more filled, and his finger crooked to stroke her sensitive spot.

“Is that good?” Avad asked, sucking on her nipple.

“Uh-huh.” Aloy’s hips rocked once more, moaning louder. His cock, his fingers, and his mouth pleasuring her in all the right places. She wouldn’t last. Her pace increased, hips pressing more firmly. Her walls squeezed, the pit of her stomach warming. She grabbed the back of Avad’s neck and yanked him to her, slamming their lips together. He moaned and brushed the tip of his tongue over her bottom lip. Aloy shivered. She was so close. His hand felt so good and his cock filled her better than anything she could do for herself.

Avad’s ministrations sped up, hips rocking against her with increasing neediness. He could feel Aloy squeeze him sporadically. He tweaked her clit with his thumb and curled his finger. Aloy moaned shakily and fell apart, keeling forward as she rode out her orgasm. Avad moved his arms to hold her tightly, thrusting his hips upwards to reach his own release. He stroked Aloy’s messy hair, peppering kisses on her neck and cheek. She was still moaning, feeling his length pump in and out. He let himself fall into it completely, jerky in his motions until at last he sputtered a cry and spilled into her. Hips slowed to a stop, chest rising and falling laboriously.

The world around them returned, and the sound of enthusiastic drums filled Avad’s ears. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to remove himself from Aloy. Their hair was tousled, skin damp with sweat and the paint on their bodies mere masses of red. Still, the Sun-King felt exhilarated. Aloy’s wild red hair was falling out of its braid, the flowers having disappeared somewhere during their coupling. Her cheeks were flushed, and the hint of a bruise on the side of her neck was already forming. His doing. “My heart,” Avad whispered softly, kissing her nose. “Are you all right?”

Aloy giggled girlishly. “Silly man,” she crooned, cupping his cheeks. His warm eyes bore into her as they always did, never intimidating but always intense in their feelings. “You could never hurt me, my gentle sun. You always make me feel whole when you’re with me, you know that? My home, my baby’s precious father. You’re so smart, so kind, so gentle. I love you, Avad.” She pressed kisses with each phrase, stroking his cheeks with her thumbs. Aloy knew she wasn’t good with her words. Words could never be enough to express to him how much he meant to her.

Avad shuddered. He never grew weary of when Aloy praised him like this. He couldn’t explain it, but it felt so good. He accepted her kisses and rubbed her back, feeling more warmth from her words than the sun itself. “I love you too. You’re the moon that gives light throughout my nights. My queen,” he whispered, tucking her hair behind her ears. He would gladly sit her with her until someone dragged them out, but right now he would gaze at the sun; the radiant sun that brought light into his life brighter than any other.

The festival pressed on, unaware of the tenderness that passed between the king and queen after their ritual. Avad and Aloy lay in the pillows for another hour, listening to the music booming from the streets of Meridian. Only the sound of Lissie’s cries pulled them away, anxious to ease whatever ailed their little girl. Avad towered over his small family, shielding them from prying eyes as he ushered them away to the privacy of the baths. It would be a while before the feasting began, and on a day such as this, a man should be allowed to spend quiet time with his wife and daughter without a crowd on his tail. In any case, it seemed his friends were more than willing to fight off any intruders until they could stave off Marad no longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A wee bit of a praise kink going on if you squint. It’s been a topic of discussion for Avad with my friends recently.  
> Final chapter is posted tomorrow, so in the meantime please drop a comment down below. Have a nice rest of your weekend!


	3. Lover, Fighter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're at the end of it now! Thank you to everyone who stopped by to read this slightly wacky brainchild of mine. Aloy and Avad are my comfort OTP so you guys know I will post any and all fic ideas of them. LOL  
> The babes get a bit rowdy this chapter. Must be something in the wine. :P

After dallying far too long in the bath to wash the paint off, Aloy dressed in something far more sensible than what she had donned earlier that day. She preferred the freedom of trousers. Avad had selected something simple yet comfortable for the feast, choosing to wear a deep blue silk shirt with dark pants instead of his usual colors. Aloy liked it. Such gorgeous colors suited his rich skin tone. His jewelry, so rarely worn, glinted in the candlelight. Aloy couldn’t resist ogling him as he dressed, however it would be a shame to make him undress his finery so early in the evening.

Lissie yawned with a squeak from her crib, something so simple yet so readily capable of making Aloy smile. Her pretty little girl had no idea the power she already wielded. That power would only grow, making men both weak and strong cave to her every whim. It should be a sin to wish upon her that power, but Aloy felt no shame in it. Her daughter would grow up in a world filled with venomous snakes. A princess needed to survive in ways a prince could not. Whatever power Elisabet could gain for herself was worth its price.

Slipping rings onto his fingers, Avad gazed upon his wife and daughter. Here, in their chambers, he felt warm and safe. It was quiet and spacious with no one to invade their time. Work and play was scattered on the dining table. Documents, his art, Lissie’s toys all took up the wooden surface. Lissie’s jewel mobile twinkled familiarly. With an increased sense of duty to protect his family, Avad set about praying to the Sun every morning and evening. It was silly, but the ritual cleared his head and made him feel a little bit stronger.

“Shard for your thoughts?” Aloy spoke aloud. Her legs were tucked underneath herself as she sat on the chair beside Lissie’s crib.

“Mm, what else do I think of besides you?” Avad jested in reply. Her smile made his heart feel full.

“You could always spare a thought or two for your kingdom, you know.”

“Ah, but then I would have to stop thinking about our angel.”

Aloy snorted, hastily covering her mouth and nose with her hand. Lissie didn’t so much as flinch. “You’re insufferable,” she hissed.

Avad merely quipped, “If that were true, we wouldn’t be married.” He knelt at her feet and crossed his legs, gently taking hold of her hand and pressing kisses on her palm and wrist. Aloy bit her lip. He’d adopted the subservient role early on in their relationship. Aloy hadn’t understood it at first, but now she did. It was draining to be someone else’s god. He craved peace and comfort that couldn’t be obtained from the throne. But here, he could kiss her feet if he wished—and he did it often. Here, he could be the devotee.

“My sun, are you sure you want to go to the banquet tonight? We could always stay here,” Aloy offered, leaning over to stroke her fingers through his hair and her nails through his beard. Avad closed his eyes and leaned his head against her leg.

“As tempting as that is, I have to show face. Perhaps next year we can run away to the east again.” Avad’s smile was bright, a reminder of where they had been a year ago. Aloy smiled back. She’d found out she was pregnant, and she’d claimed him as her mate. They’d bathed in the cold river, hunted for their own meals, and curled up beside a roaring fire under piles of warm animal skins at night. Aloy certainly preferred that over the hubbub of a fertility festival. People should be able to celebrate the growth of crops without Avad’s help.

“Fine. Just know that I’m eating as much as I want tonight,” the queen decided with a huff.

Avad barked a small laugh. As if his wife did anything other than eat every crumb of food the cooks had to offer. “My love, the day you stop eating every scrap you can find is the day the earth stops orbiting the sun,” he decreed. Aloy’s flash of a grin widened.

“Even if it makes me fat?”

The air between them was stagnant for a moment before the pair of them fell into fits. The only time Aloy had gotten fat was when she was carrying their baby in her belly, the weight dropping less than three months after giving birth. Aloy’s joke and her marvelous laugh added light to Avad’s soul. A queen she may be but the woman was an anomaly to the Carja, beautiful but wild like a fire burning from a roasting spit. “Come then, my glorious moon. Our guests will be arriving soon, and the earlier we get there the earlier we may leave.”

Aloy clicked her tongue. “I hate leaving her,” she said, nodding toward their sleeping girl. Avad frowned.

“I do too. I’d bring her with me to every meeting if need be, but you hoard her.”

“ _ Do not _ .”

Avad chuckled. “Yes, you do, but I am willing to forgive that.”

Aloy rolled her eyes childishly but relented, her last act of defiance to ruffle his wild hair until the curls were an untameable mass. She then stood up, offering a hand to pull Avad to his feet. He felt warm beside her; Aloy had to pull away to avoid any further delays. Instead she kissed her baby’s head and whispered, “We’ll be back, my darling. Be good for Auntie Liana while we’re gone.”

The princess shifted slightly, snoring quietly as Avad repeated the kiss. Gods forgive him for his burden. Such a petty business to abandon his daughter for, even if it was only for a few hours. Still, he rested the crown on his head and Aloy’s on hers before escorting her to the dining hall. They took their time, letting the rest of the guests to arrive while spending a few more free moments of quiet conversation before joining the fray. As always, their arrival was announced with its usual fanfare.

“His Radiance, Fourteenth Luminant of the Radiant Line, Sun-King Avad and Her Celestial Highness, Champion and Savior of Meridian, Queen Aloy!”

The excessive titles always made Aloy tick her jaw, but she kept her face stoic as she and Avad walked in with hands interlocked. The banquet hall was decorated to the hilt, brimming in white and red and gold, oil lanterns lining the tables and windowsills. Garlands of flowers with every color draped from door frames and cascaded over the dais. It was a celebration of springtime’s arrival, of dark times passed by. A glimmer of hope. Aloy glanced up at Avad. His eyes twinkled cheerfully. It was infectious. She lifted his hand and pressed a kiss on his skin.

The dais was already populated by Aloy’s in-laws, scattered about at different tables; lounging and chatting and eating like they would at any family gathering. Plush pillows scattered around the tables. Aloy was eager to sink into them and start eating. She could already smell the appetizers, having had a hand in picking them herself. Sometimes, it was good to be queen, Aloy thought to herself in amusement.

Avad avoided fanciful speeches. He was hungry for dinner and wanted to spend time with his family. He was anything but subtle in displaying his affection for Aloy, taking it upon himself to feed her each morsel of food that she craved. The Sun-Court watched their king from the corner of their eyes as they gossiped, analyzing every kiss shared between him and his sole consort. No one could remember Jiran worshiping neither queen nor concubine in such a way. Those old enough to remember couldn’t recall such behavior from Hivas before him either.

The wine was anything but a hindrance, only allowing Avad to further display his affection for Aloy. She did nothing to stop him, flirting with him as if they were not married for nearly a year already. Their kisses were sweet from fruits and candies, heady and warm. Neither cared for the enchanting music or the sensual dancers, not even as one attempted to lure the Sun-King’s attention to her. Aloy had seen it. The girl was flagrant when she latched her gaze onto Avad, undulating her hips to the drum, moving to bring focus to her large breasts. Poor thing didn’t get what she wanted. Avad had been too busy suckling on the lobe of Aloy’s ear.

The queen, however, locked eyes with the frivolous creature. An indignant tilt of the jaw, fingers curled at the base of Avad’s skull only encouraging his affections, sent the dancer reeling. Aloy had not become the Sun-King’s partner on the throne by sheer luck of birth. She’d fought in wars and won them. She’d killed the Stacker of Corpses and his demons. And for all the blood Aloy had spilled, Avad loved her. He’d named his daughter after his wife’s mother and bestowed upon them both titles never before uttered in the Sundom. A dancing girl was but a pale candle to the Moon-Queen’s fire. The dancer flinched and slithered as far away from Aloy’s burning eyes as the banquet hall would let her.

“Follow me,” Aloy hummed in her husband’s eyes. She pulled away from his mouth and pressed a kiss on his chin like a promise. Avad’s fingers stroked Aloy’s cheeks. They were flushed red, the hazel of her eyes molten like gold. She looked wild and wanton. Alas, if they did not escape soon, the entire Sun-Court would be privy to the depravities their monarchs were capable of.

“Anywhere,” Avad whispered back, stealing a final kiss. The pair stood and slunk their way out through the back, ignorant of anything but the cool breeze on their backs and their intertwined hands.

The moon was but a sliver tonight, bonfires and candles their key sources of light. Aloy grinned girlishly to herself. It was a silly game of cat and mouse with these impudent noblewomen and servant girls. She couldn’t blame them for wanting her husband, but she’d had enough of them and their low-cut dresses. They weren’t going to spoil her evening. With renewed purpose, Aloy pulled Avad to one of the secret tunnels buried beneath the palace where no one would find them. It wasn’t  _ their _ tunnel, but she had waited long enough as it was.

Avad’s breath caught when his wife’s strong hands yanked him to her, sealing their lips together in a fierce kiss. He moaned quietly as his hands spanned down her sides. He sought to feel her skin again, unaware of the silent battle that had previously ensued. Aloy only encouraged him as she pressed herself against his thigh. It wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough. “Touch me,” she demanded. Her fingers slipped underneath his shirt, the nails biting into his skin. Avad’s chest rose and fell with labored breath, anticipation brimming from inside him.

“By the Sun,  _ yes _ .” Aloy had expected her husband to continue in his usual fashion, with kisses and sucking that would rile her up a gentle slope. But instead, he had turned her so that her front pressed to the stone wall. Avad’s left arm wrapped around her waist, holding her solidly between himself and the wall, while his right hand snaked down her pants. Aloy’s gasps sputtered. Thick fingers rubbed firmly on her mound, hard and demanding strokes as if what he hadn’t given her earlier wasn’t enough. Aloy loved this Avad. He took what he wanted from her without requiring prompting. It was different. Bold. Like this, he was the Sun in the flesh.

How silly of her to forget that Avad could read her desires like they were his own. Aloy whined keenly. Yes, yes. She wanted this. She wanted him like this. “Harder,” she begged. She widened her stance, allowing him free access to her vagina. Avad groaned thickly. His thumb circled around her clit while his finger plunged deep inside. Aloy moaned loudly, bucking her hips eagerly. She could feel him harden against her back. Perfect.  _ This _ Avad knew nothing of restraint. Their clothes would be on the floor in minutes while they battled over who was on top. Aloy loved the fight.

Brushing his nose against Aloy’s jaw, Avad whispered, “Who lacked discretion this time, my moon?”

Aloy groaned as he added a finger. “It…” she hissed, “doesn’t matter.”

“I doubt that.” Avad pressed his hips against her backside; her hips gyrated by instinct. Her walls were sopping wet, juices coating his fingers like sweet honey. He wanted a taste. Well, more than a taste. He’d drown in her if he could.

“Just a stupid dancer,” Aloy caved. Her hand reached back and grabbed him through the silk of his pants. He was rock hard now.

“I didn’t even see her. I’d much prefer to see you dance,” Avad murmured, willing the image of his wife dancing like a Carja to infiltrate his mind. He inhaled her scent, tainted slightly by the musk of her sex. “Mmm, would you dance for me?”

Aloy giggled at the thought. She didn’t need to dance in order to lure her husband into her bed. “You have to ask nicely first,” she egged him on. If she kept pushing, he would cave and they would rut like animals on the floor. After the hell of a day they both endured, it was exactly what they needed. Aloy licked her lips. She was going to leave marks on her man again, and he would take it with a smile on his face.

Avad turned her to face him, ravaging her mouth with his while he continued to finger her. Aloy’s moan reverberated in the tunnel, hand hasty in slipping beneath his waistband to touch him as well. He was thick and heavy, pointed toward her belly. Avad groaned thickly against her skin; his hips bucked. Aloy smiled and nuzzled their noses together. Just a little more…. Avad had begun muttering under his breath, incoherent with lust and yet the language was one she herself knew well.

The queen acted first, peeling away metal and silk from her king’s solid frame. He only complained when she forced him to pull his fingers out of her lest he keep the sleeve of his shirt on. His gold jewelry remained like before. Aloy loved how the gold was set against his dark skin, gilded like the god he represented. Avad returned the favor, stripping her of the presently needless scraps of cloth and metal that hid her body from his gaze. Like him, the gold and silver of her jewelry exhibited her as the goddess she embodied. He stood slack jawed, firm hands smoothing over freckled skin.

With unbridled anticipation, Avad knelt before her like a disciple, slung one of her legs over his shoulder, and buried his face against the apex between her thighs. Aloy’s breath hitched. Her skin felt clammy from the heat coursing through her. Her husband had contented himself to obscenity, fingers and tongue buried inside her again. The long digits scissored and closed, stroking the slick muscles of her walls with practiced ease. It was Aloy’s turn to gargle utter nonsense. If the Carja forefathers intended for their future Sun-Kings to fuck their lovers within an inch of their lives, it was working. Avad supped on her without pausing for air, grinning against her as she cried out and released with a rush. His tongue lapped rapidly like she was a fine wine, leaving a sloppy kiss in his wake when he at last pulled away.

“Was that a request polite enough for you, my queen?” Avad purred. Aloy’s thighs continued quaking from her orgasm, and so his fingers, still damp from her nectar, stroked the muscular skin.

“You are a beast. I’d do anything you ask if you did that more often,” Aloy whispered, stroking his hair.

“Oh, is having it every day not enough for you? How often would you like it?”

Aloy laughed. “If I had you do it every time I wanted it, you’d die from lack of oxygen.”

Avad merely burst into laughter. He pressed a final kiss on her sex before lowering her leg, barely registering the ache in his knees as he stood. “What a marvelous way to die,” he sang, pulling Aloy in for a kiss. Aloy sucked on his bottom lip. She could taste herself on him. Her husband rarely let a day pass without pleasuring her, even with the duties as a king and a father, and his eagerness to perform only further prompted her toward what she wanted.

“No dying yet. I haven’t had enough time with you yet,” Aloy chastised, rubbing his chest with her hands. His heart sputtered underneath her fingertips, a fact that made her smile. All that raw power and he caved to her so easily. Even as his hands wandered and his pupils blown wide with lust, Aloy struggled not to melt against him. “Hey, can you do something for me?”

“Mmm.” Avad dragged his tongue up the column of her neck. It took Aloy a minute to answer once he started sucking a welt onto her skin.

“On your knees.”

Avad complied, kneeling in front of her again. Their hands were tangled together as Aloy joined him on the ground, mouths kissing and tongues dancing. Aloy pulled away and pushed Avad down until he splayed underneath her, her legs resting on either side of his hips. For a moment, they pressed their pelvises together, Aloy’s fluid coating Avad’s length. He grunted quietly, pressing his thumb against her clit again. Aloy squeaked. Her husband was hellbent on making her cum again and she couldn’t say no. When she rose on her knees, he stroked her aching sex with eager fingers.

“And you say I’m the greedy one,” Aloy jested, easing down onto his cock. Avad moaned deeply but continued his ministrations, massaging her with eyes glued to their joining. Aloy dug her nails into his stomach as she rose and fell, careful to focus on her task instead of letting him take advantage of her body’s piqued sensitivity. Her hips dragged and rolled, pulling him in and out of her body with pristine control. Slick walls hugged his length in a tight grip, and Avad moaned loudly.

Aloy’s pace was a torment. As much as he wanted to watch her fall apart again, Avad was desirous for his own release. His fingers pressed harder against her clit in furious circles, and he watched in satisfaction as Aloy hunched forward and clenched her eyes shut. She was heavily stimulated already. It was too much. Aloy yelped as her walls clamped down on his cock, her slick lubricating him to slip in and out of her with increased ease. “That’s it,” Avad purred, brushing back her hair soothingly as she finished. Aloy shuddered and turned her head to suck on his finger. Sedated, it took no effort for Avad to flip them and pin her underneath him.

Languid from a second release, Aloy watched Avad straighten, holding her hips as he drilled into her. Her feet pressed to the ground, raising her hips to meet his. Avad groaned, stooping down to suck on the soft flesh of her breast. Aloy’s hands massaged the base of his neck, encouraging his wants. Her nose met Avad’s hair, lips pressing sweet kisses. He was holding back, drawing out his own pleasure for as long as possible. Aloy dragged her nails down his spine and dug into his ass, pressing him against her and stoking the embers of his fire. “You’re so good, my sun. So good. Give it to me. Fill me,” Aloy pleaded, biting his shoulder. Avad yelped but slammed his hips harder, wrenching his wife’s arms from his body and pinning her hands above her hips.

Avad grunted huskily. His face pressed against her neck, fingers locked with hers. Aloy’s heels dug into his back, opening herself up to him so that he might sink in deeper. Her tongue sucked on his neck and her lips trailed kisses along his jaw, his facial hair tickling her skin deliciously. She whispered sweetly in his ear, encouraging him and praising him. Avad weakened and felt himself rolled beneath Aloy again. Fingers laced together, her hips circled tightly, and at last he spilled his seed. Aloy whined softly as she milked him with her walls until he fully crumbled beneath her.

They stayed silent for a time. Aloy rested against her lover, caressing his cheek and stroking his hair as he rested. Avad relished in her affectionate touches. She always tended to him in the aftermath of their lovemaking. They were covered in dust and sweat, making themselves as much of a mess as they had been during the ritual. Avad could only admire the woman in his arms. He would kiss her and stroke her hair with nothing but gentle adoration. Somewhere the banquet dinner was continuing on in full force, music faintly echoing throughout the palace above them. He had no interest in returning.

Aloy seemed to share the same thoughts as him. As she nuzzled his skin, kissing the shell of his ear, she asked, “Can we go back to our rooms? I need a bath, and Lissie might be hungry by now.”

“You never need to ask, my dear. Come.”

Rewarded with a kiss, Avad at last removed himself from Aloy’s body. They cleaned themselves as best as possible before dressing. It was Aloy who led the way back, knowing which hallways would be devoid of potential run-ins. As they neared the Sun-King’s chambers, Lissie’s wails pierced the air. Avad didn’t need to prompt his wife as she burst into a run, not caring for the guards’ startled looks as she burst through the doors without aid. Avad jogged behind her, craning his neck to see what was upsetting his daughter so.

“Mama’s here,” Aloy whispered. Liana, who had been dutifully watching over the princess, deposited the baby into her mistress’ arms before wordlessly departing. She was far too accustomed to knowing when the royal couple wanted to be alone.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Avad crooned, brushing Lissie’s hair with his fingers.

“She’s hungry. Go ahead and bathe. I’ve got her.”

Avad nodded and kissed her cheek prior to doing as he was told, leaving the doors open for ease of communication. As he stripped off his clothing, he could hear his wife whisper to Lissie, cooing quietly as she settled herself in a nearby seat so that she could feed the baby. He smiled to himself. He and Aloy could romp like lovestruck teenagers, but at the end of the day, they were a family. She’d chosen him to be her life partner, gifting him with their precious little girl. He would thank the Sun for this slice of tranquility.

Aloy was humming from her seat, slowly rocking as Lissie suckled from her breast. They were tucked away this night, but it wouldn’t be long before Aloy’s own duties would pull her away from home. They would have to enjoy these moments while they lasted. With a pleasant view of his wife and daughter from the bathing pool, Avad dunk into the warm water with his heart just a little bit fuller.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's that! Thank you for reading. It was nice to do some more HZD before the semester starts. I'll try to write when I can, so here's hoping. Have a healthy and happy week, everyone!


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